The invention relates to a device for connecting components which lie at a spacing from one another by clamping by means of a spacer, which is disposed in the spacing region, and a clamping piece which clamps the two components with respect to one another, the securing actuation of the clamping piece initially displacing the spacer from a spaced position to a bearing position with respect to the second component and then fixing the device to the first component by means of clamping elements which move into engagement against the wall of an insertion cavity of the first component.
A device of this type is known from EP 0 176 663.
The exemplary embodiment illustrated in FIGS. 19 and 20 of that document has a dowel which at the end side forms spreading arms which move apart when a bolt, which forms the clamping piece, is screwed into the internal thread of the dowel. The dowel has a left-hand external thread. A spacer is screwed onto this external thread. This spacer has a neck which can bear in a frictionally locking manner against the threaded shank of the bolt. If the bolt is fitted into the spacer through an opening in the second component and is turned to the right, the spacer rotates with respect to the thread and is displaced toward the second component until its end side moves into a stop position at that location. The securing screw then engages in the internal thread of the dowel and spreads the spreading elements against the inner wall of the insertion cavity.
Utility Model 86 06 008.2 has disclosed a spreading dowel which forms a spreading sleeve which can be fitted into a drilled hole There, the spreading sleeve is seated in an axially fixed and frictionally locking manner. At the insertion-side end, the spreading sleeve forms spreading arms which can be spread radially outward when a spreading body, which can be displaced by the securing screw, is pulled in there.
The invention is based on the object of further developing a device of the introductory-mentioned type in a manner which is advantageous for use.
The object is achieved by the invention wherein the spreading elements are associated with the spacer. According to this configuration, the spreading elements are dragged along when the spacer is displaced from the spaced position into the bearing position. Only when the spacer has reached the bearing position against the second component are the spreading elements spread apart. Advantageously, that part of the spacer which forms the spreading elements is formed by a sleeve. The spreading body can enter this sleeve. The sleeve displacement is effected by dragging along the spreading body when the clamping piece is actuated. The sleeve preferably has slots which extend in the axial direction. The slot interspaces form the spreading elements. The clamping piece used is preferably a bolt. However, it is also possible to use a rivet instead of the bolt, and this rivet can be fixed using a suitable tool by tension. The spacer is positioned in the insertion cavity in such a manner that it is rotationally fixed but slidably displaceable in the axial direction. The spacer may comprise a plurality of individual parts in the manner described above. However, it may also be of single-part form. The single-part configuration is preferably formed by a spreading sleeve. The insertion cavity may be formed by a piece of tube which is fixedly connected to the first component. However, this piece of tube may also be formed by a drawn-in section in the first component. In a refinement of the invention, it is also possible to provide for the piece of tube to form the inner lining of a drilled hole. It is then formed as an insertion part. In this case, the piece of tube may also be capable of being spread open. The insertion part may furthermore have teeth which project radially outward and by means of which it can fit in a frictionally locking, axial and rotationally fixed manner in the drilled hole. A lug may project radially inward from the insertion cavity. This lug can engage in a groove in the sleeve, so that as a result rotational securing is ensured. Rotational securing between sleeve and spreading body can be ensured in a similar way. The spreading body preferably has a conical spreading surface which comes to bear against a conical mating surface of the sleeve. The pin which rotationally secures the sleeve to the spreading body can also fix the spreading body to the sleeve. The mating thread of the clamping bolt may be formed either by the second component or by the spreading body. In a variant of the invention, it is possible to provide for the spacer to move into the bearing position with respect to the second component by means of a second spreading body which is arranged opposite the first spreading body. When the bearing position is reached, the second spreading body can still move slightly with respect to the sleeve, so that tightening of the clamping body leads to a reduction in the spacing. To allow such a reduction in the spacing when the clamping bolt is tightened, there is alternatively provision for the spacer to be able to deform when a clamping force is applied. For this purpose, it is suitable for the spacer to be formed as a clamping sleeve. To axially hold the spreading elements in the insertion sleeve, it is possible to provide for the cylindrical sleeve outer wall to be circumferentially fluted. To achieve an optimum spreading action, it is furthermore possible to make provision for slots to start from end sides of the sleeve in order to form the spreading elements. The slots extend to beyond the axial center of the sleeve, so that they overlap one another in terms of length in the axial direction.